SPARTANBURG, SC--Retired Chief Justice C. Bruce Littlejohn, age 93, of 450 Connecticut Avenue, husband of the late Inell Smith Littlejohn, died peacefully at home on Saturday, April 21, 2007 surrounded by his family.
Born in Pacolet, SC on July 22, 1913, he was a son of the late Cameron and Lady Sara Warmoth Littlejohn. Judge Littlejohn graduated from Pacolet High School. He attended Wofford College for three years, receiving his degree in 1935, before transferring to the University of South Carolina School of Law where he was a member of the debate team, president of the senior law class, and received his law degree in 1936. As a debate team member, he developed a lifelong friendship with fellow member and later Chief U. S. District Judge Charles E. Simons, Jr. of Aiken County.
In 1936, shortly after opening his law practice in Spartanburg, he was elected at age 23 to the S. C. House of Representatives, serving three terms from 1937 to 1943.
As a state representative, he was deferred from the World War II draft, but he waived the exemption, resigned from the House in 1943 and volunteered to serve in the U. S. Army. In 1946, he was discharged as 1st Lt. after foreign service including assignment as Japanese war criminals prosecutor in the Philippines.
Returning home, he regained his seat in the House of Representatives and with then Governor Strom Thurmond's support was elected a year later as Speaker of the House serving from 1947 to 1949.
Shortly after his reelection as Speaker in 1949, he was elected by the General Assembly as resident Circuit Court Judge of the Seventh Circuit, marking the beginning of a thirty-nine year judicial career that would culminate in his election as Chief Justice of the S. C. Supreme Court. In 1967, he was elected Associate Justice to fill the unexpired term of Joseph R. Moss (elected Chief Justice). His election over fellow candidate, circuit court judge, and friend Julius B. Ness (later elected associate justice) did not diminish their continued lifelong friendship and mutual admiration.
During his service as Associate Justice, he advocated judicial reform and helped set stronger admissions standards for new attorneys to practice in South Carolina.
In 1984, he was elected Chief Justice to succeed Chief Justice J. Woodrow Lewis, retired. He was elected to a full term in 1984 and served until his mandatory retirement at age 72 in 1985. During his short term he left a notable impact on the state's court system, particularly in resolving the long-standing dispute between the legislature and court over rule-making authority for legal proceedings. He also appointed as acting supreme court justices the first woman (Judge Carol Connor) and first African-American (Judge Jasper Cureton) to serve on the state's highest court.
Following his retirement, he continued to remain active in the judicial arena, serving as an active judge for the S. C. Court of Appeals for more than ten years and acting as private mediator and arbitrator in lawsuits.
During and after his career, he was an active writer, regularly contributing a column to the state bar association's newsletter, several of which were published in national journals. He authored four books, Laugh with the Judge (1974), Littlejohn's Half-Century at the Bench and Bar (1987), Littlejohn's Political Memoirs (1989), and Littlejohn's South Carolina Judicial History 1930-2004 (2005).
He served as delegate to several county and state Democratic Conventions and two National Democratic Conventions; member and Chairman of the Committee on Judicial Procedure and Congested Dockets 1957-1967; member of the County, State, and American Bar Associations.
He was a delegate to the National Conference of State Trial Judges 1964-1966; delegate to the National Appellate Judges Conference 1967-1976; permanent member of the Fourth U. S. Court of Appeals Judicial Conference; member, 1968 National School Awards, Jury of Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge; editorial committee of the Trial Judges Journal 1965-1967; member of the Board of Directors of North Greenville Jr. College 1962-1967; member of the Wofford College Alumni Board of Directors 1966-1968; and member of the Council of Wofford College Associates.
He was the recipient of many honors: Spartanburg Chamber of Commerce's Neville Holcombe Distinguished Public Service Award; S.C. Bar Foundation's DuRant Distinguished Public Service Award; Spartanburg Kiwanis Man of the Year Award; Spartanburg Rotary Club Paul Harris Award; Honorary member of Phi Beta Kappa; and Honorary doctorate degrees from Wofford College, Converse College, Limestone College, and the University of South Carolina. In 2004, he was presented the state's highest civilian award, the Order of the Palmetto. He was a member of Morningside Baptist Church.
Judge Littlejohn is survived by daughter, Inell Littlejohn Allen and husband Dan of Rockingham, NC; a son, Cameron B. Littlejohn, Jr., and wife Frances of Columbia, SC; four grandchildren, Amanda Allen of Madison Heights, VA, Rebecca A. Gilliam and husband Charles of Hamlet, NC; Justice Cameron Littlejohn of Columbia; and Amie Sowell and husband Jason of Mt. Pleasant, SC; and three great-grandchildren, Haven, McCartney, and Maddie Sowell. He was preceded in death by four brothers, Boyd B. Littlejohn, Arthur B. Littlejohn, Sr., J. R. Littlejohn, and Henry G. "Joe" Littlejohn; and three sisters, Myrtle Littlejohn; Mabel L. McConnell; and Mildred L. Gravely.
The family will receive friends Monday evening, April 23, 2007 from 5:30-8:30 PM at Morningside Baptist Church Sanctuary and Tuesday, April 24, 2007 from 12:45-1:45 PM at Morningside Baptist Church Sanctuary prior to the service.
Funeral services will held Tuesday, April 24, 2007 at 2:00 PM at Morningside Baptist Church by the Reverend Dr. Kirk H. Neely. Burial will follow in Pacolet First Baptist Church Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the C. Bruce Littlejohn Scholarship Fund, Wofford College, 429 North Church Street, Spartanburg, SC 29303 or to Morningside Baptist Church, Building Fund, 897 South Pine Street, Spartanburg, SC 29302.
Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.lanforddunbar.com
Born in Pacolet, SC on July 22, 1913, he was a son of the late Cameron and Lady Sara Warmoth Littlejohn. Judge Littlejohn graduated from Pacolet High School. He attended Wofford College for three years, receiving his degree in 1935, before transferring to the University of South Carolina School of Law where he was a member of the debate team, president of the senior law class, and received his law degree in 1936. As a debate team member, he developed a lifelong friendship with fellow member and later Chief U. S. District Judge Charles E. Simons, Jr. of Aiken County.
In 1936, shortly after opening his law practice in Spartanburg, he was elected at age 23 to the S. C. House of Representatives, serving three terms from 1937 to 1943.
As a state representative, he was deferred from the World War II draft, but he waived the exemption, resigned from the House in 1943 and volunteered to serve in the U. S. Army. In 1946, he was discharged as 1st Lt. after foreign service including assignment as Japanese war criminals prosecutor in the Philippines.
Returning home, he regained his seat in the House of Representatives and with then Governor Strom Thurmond's support was elected a year later as Speaker of the House serving from 1947 to 1949.
Shortly after his reelection as Speaker in 1949, he was elected by the General Assembly as resident Circuit Court Judge of the Seventh Circuit, marking the beginning of a thirty-nine year judicial career that would culminate in his election as Chief Justice of the S. C. Supreme Court. In 1967, he was elected Associate Justice to fill the unexpired term of Joseph R. Moss (elected Chief Justice). His election over fellow candidate, circuit court judge, and friend Julius B. Ness (later elected associate justice) did not diminish their continued lifelong friendship and mutual admiration.
During his service as Associate Justice, he advocated judicial reform and helped set stronger admissions standards for new attorneys to practice in South Carolina.
In 1984, he was elected Chief Justice to succeed Chief Justice J. Woodrow Lewis, retired. He was elected to a full term in 1984 and served until his mandatory retirement at age 72 in 1985. During his short term he left a notable impact on the state's court system, particularly in resolving the long-standing dispute between the legislature and court over rule-making authority for legal proceedings. He also appointed as acting supreme court justices the first woman (Judge Carol Connor) and first African-American (Judge Jasper Cureton) to serve on the state's highest court.
Following his retirement, he continued to remain active in the judicial arena, serving as an active judge for the S. C. Court of Appeals for more than ten years and acting as private mediator and arbitrator in lawsuits.
During and after his career, he was an active writer, regularly contributing a column to the state bar association's newsletter, several of which were published in national journals. He authored four books, Laugh with the Judge (1974), Littlejohn's Half-Century at the Bench and Bar (1987), Littlejohn's Political Memoirs (1989), and Littlejohn's South Carolina Judicial History 1930-2004 (2005).
He served as delegate to several county and state Democratic Conventions and two National Democratic Conventions; member and Chairman of the Committee on Judicial Procedure and Congested Dockets 1957-1967; member of the County, State, and American Bar Associations.
He was a delegate to the National Conference of State Trial Judges 1964-1966; delegate to the National Appellate Judges Conference 1967-1976; permanent member of the Fourth U. S. Court of Appeals Judicial Conference; member, 1968 National School Awards, Jury of Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge; editorial committee of the Trial Judges Journal 1965-1967; member of the Board of Directors of North Greenville Jr. College 1962-1967; member of the Wofford College Alumni Board of Directors 1966-1968; and member of the Council of Wofford College Associates.
He was the recipient of many honors: Spartanburg Chamber of Commerce's Neville Holcombe Distinguished Public Service Award; S.C. Bar Foundation's DuRant Distinguished Public Service Award; Spartanburg Kiwanis Man of the Year Award; Spartanburg Rotary Club Paul Harris Award; Honorary member of Phi Beta Kappa; and Honorary doctorate degrees from Wofford College, Converse College, Limestone College, and the University of South Carolina. In 2004, he was presented the state's highest civilian award, the Order of the Palmetto. He was a member of Morningside Baptist Church.
Judge Littlejohn is survived by daughter, Inell Littlejohn Allen and husband Dan of Rockingham, NC; a son, Cameron B. Littlejohn, Jr., and wife Frances of Columbia, SC; four grandchildren, Amanda Allen of Madison Heights, VA, Rebecca A. Gilliam and husband Charles of Hamlet, NC; Justice Cameron Littlejohn of Columbia; and Amie Sowell and husband Jason of Mt. Pleasant, SC; and three great-grandchildren, Haven, McCartney, and Maddie Sowell. He was preceded in death by four brothers, Boyd B. Littlejohn, Arthur B. Littlejohn, Sr., J. R. Littlejohn, and Henry G. "Joe" Littlejohn; and three sisters, Myrtle Littlejohn; Mabel L. McConnell; and Mildred L. Gravely.
The family will receive friends Monday evening, April 23, 2007 from 5:30-8:30 PM at Morningside Baptist Church Sanctuary and Tuesday, April 24, 2007 from 12:45-1:45 PM at Morningside Baptist Church Sanctuary prior to the service.
Funeral services will held Tuesday, April 24, 2007 at 2:00 PM at Morningside Baptist Church by the Reverend Dr. Kirk H. Neely. Burial will follow in Pacolet First Baptist Church Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the C. Bruce Littlejohn Scholarship Fund, Wofford College, 429 North Church Street, Spartanburg, SC 29303 or to Morningside Baptist Church, Building Fund, 897 South Pine Street, Spartanburg, SC 29302.
Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.lanforddunbar.com
SPARTANBURG, SC--Retired Chief Justice C. Bruce Littlejohn, age 93, of 450 Connecticut Avenue, husband of the late Inell Smith Littlejohn, died peacefully at home on Saturday, April 21, 2007 surrounded by his family.
Born in Pacolet, SC on July 22, 1913, he was a son of the late Cameron and Lady Sara Warmoth Littlejohn. Judge Littlejohn graduated from Pacolet High School. He attended Wofford College for three years, receiving his degree in 1935, before transferring to the University of South Carolina School of Law where he was a member of the debate team, president of the senior law class, and received his law degree in 1936. As a debate team member, he developed a lifelong friendship with fellow member and later Chief U. S. District Judge Charles E. Simons, Jr. of Aiken County.
In 1936, shortly after opening his law practice in Spartanburg, he was elected at age 23 to the S. C. House of Representatives, serving three terms from 1937 to 1943.
As a state representative, he was deferred from the World War II draft, but he waived the exemption, resigned from the House in 1943 and volunteered to serve in the U. S. Army. In 1946, he was discharged as 1st Lt. after foreign service including assignment as Japanese war criminals prosecutor in the Philippines.
Returning home, he regained his seat in the House of Representatives and with then Governor Strom Thurmond's support was elected a year later as Speaker of the House serving from 1947 to 1949.
Shortly after his reelection as Speaker in 1949, he was elected by the General Assembly as resident Circuit Court Judge of the Seventh Circuit, marking the beginning of a thirty-nine year judicial career that would culminate in his election as Chief Justice of the S. C. Supreme Court. In 1967, he was elected Associate Justice to fill the unexpired term of Joseph R. Moss (elected Chief Justice). His election over fellow candidate, circuit court judge, and friend Julius B. Ness (later elected associate justice) did not diminish their continued lifelong friendship and mutual admiration.
During his service as Associate Justice, he advocated judicial reform and helped set stronger admissions standards for new attorneys to practice in South Carolina.
In 1984, he was elected Chief Justice to succeed Chief Justice J. Woodrow Lewis, retired. He was elected to a full term in 1984 and served until his mandatory retirement at age 72 in 1985. During his short term he left a notable impact on the state's court system, particularly in resolving the long-standing dispute between the legislature and court over rule-making authority for legal proceedings. He also appointed as acting supreme court justices the first woman (Judge Carol Connor) and first African-American (Judge Jasper Cureton) to serve on the state's highest court.
Following his retirement, he continued to remain active in the judicial arena, serving as an active judge for the S. C. Court of Appeals for more than ten years and acting as private mediator and arbitrator in lawsuits.
During and after his career, he was an active writer, regularly contributing a column to the state bar association's newsletter, several of which were published in national journals. He authored four books, Laugh with the Judge (1974), Littlejohn's Half-Century at the Bench and Bar (1987), Littlejohn's Political Memoirs (1989), and Littlejohn's South Carolina Judicial History 1930-2004 (2005).
He served as delegate to several county and state Democratic Conventions and two National Democratic Conventions; member and Chairman of the Committee on Judicial Procedure and Congested Dockets 1957-1967; member of the County, State, and American Bar Associations.
He was a delegate to the National Conference of State Trial Judges 1964-1966; delegate to the National Appellate Judges Conference 1967-1976; permanent member of the Fourth U. S. Court of Appeals Judicial Conference; member, 1968 National School Awards, Jury of Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge; editorial committee of the Trial Judges Journal 1965-1967; member of the Board of Directors of North Greenville Jr. College 1962-1967; member of the Wofford College Alumni Board of Directors 1966-1968; and member of the Council of Wofford College Associates.
He was the recipient of many honors: Spartanburg Chamber of Commerce's Neville Holcombe Distinguished Public Service Award; S.C. Bar Foundation's DuRant Distinguished Public Service Award; Spartanburg Kiwanis Man of the Year Award; Spartanburg Rotary Club Paul Harris Award; Honorary member of Phi Beta Kappa; and Honorary doctorate degrees from Wofford College, Converse College, Limestone College, and the University of South Carolina. In 2004, he was presented the state's highest civilian award, the Order of the Palmetto. He was a member of Morningside Baptist Church.
Judge Littlejohn is survived by daughter, Inell Littlejohn Allen and husband Dan of Rockingham, NC; a son, Cameron B. Littlejohn, Jr., and wife Frances of Columbia, SC; four grandchildren, Amanda Allen of Madison Heights, VA, Rebecca A. Gilliam and husband Charles of Hamlet, NC; Justice Cameron Littlejohn of Columbia; and Amie Sowell and husband Jason of Mt. Pleasant, SC; and three great-grandchildren, Haven, McCartney, and Maddie Sowell. He was preceded in death by four brothers, Boyd B. Littlejohn, Arthur B. Littlejohn, Sr., J. R. Littlejohn, and Henry G. "Joe" Littlejohn; and three sisters, Myrtle Littlejohn; Mabel L. McConnell; and Mildred L. Gravely.
The family will receive friends Monday evening, April 23, 2007 from 5:30-8:30 PM at Morningside Baptist Church Sanctuary and Tuesday, April 24, 2007 from 12:45-1:45 PM at Morningside Baptist Church Sanctuary prior to the service.
Funeral services will held Tuesday, April 24, 2007 at 2:00 PM at Morningside Baptist Church by the Reverend Dr. Kirk H. Neely. Burial will follow in Pacolet First Baptist Church Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the C. Bruce Littlejohn Scholarship Fund, Wofford College, 429 North Church Street, Spartanburg, SC 29303 or to Morningside Baptist Church, Building Fund, 897 South Pine Street, Spartanburg, SC 29302.
Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.lanforddunbar.com
Born in Pacolet, SC on July 22, 1913, he was a son of the late Cameron and Lady Sara Warmoth Littlejohn. Judge Littlejohn graduated from Pacolet High School. He attended Wofford College for three years, receiving his degree in 1935, before transferring to the University of South Carolina School of Law where he was a member of the debate team, president of the senior law class, and received his law degree in 1936. As a debate team member, he developed a lifelong friendship with fellow member and later Chief U. S. District Judge Charles E. Simons, Jr. of Aiken County.
In 1936, shortly after opening his law practice in Spartanburg, he was elected at age 23 to the S. C. House of Representatives, serving three terms from 1937 to 1943.
As a state representative, he was deferred from the World War II draft, but he waived the exemption, resigned from the House in 1943 and volunteered to serve in the U. S. Army. In 1946, he was discharged as 1st Lt. after foreign service including assignment as Japanese war criminals prosecutor in the Philippines.
Returning home, he regained his seat in the House of Representatives and with then Governor Strom Thurmond's support was elected a year later as Speaker of the House serving from 1947 to 1949.
Shortly after his reelection as Speaker in 1949, he was elected by the General Assembly as resident Circuit Court Judge of the Seventh Circuit, marking the beginning of a thirty-nine year judicial career that would culminate in his election as Chief Justice of the S. C. Supreme Court. In 1967, he was elected Associate Justice to fill the unexpired term of Joseph R. Moss (elected Chief Justice). His election over fellow candidate, circuit court judge, and friend Julius B. Ness (later elected associate justice) did not diminish their continued lifelong friendship and mutual admiration.
During his service as Associate Justice, he advocated judicial reform and helped set stronger admissions standards for new attorneys to practice in South Carolina.
In 1984, he was elected Chief Justice to succeed Chief Justice J. Woodrow Lewis, retired. He was elected to a full term in 1984 and served until his mandatory retirement at age 72 in 1985. During his short term he left a notable impact on the state's court system, particularly in resolving the long-standing dispute between the legislature and court over rule-making authority for legal proceedings. He also appointed as acting supreme court justices the first woman (Judge Carol Connor) and first African-American (Judge Jasper Cureton) to serve on the state's highest court.
Following his retirement, he continued to remain active in the judicial arena, serving as an active judge for the S. C. Court of Appeals for more than ten years and acting as private mediator and arbitrator in lawsuits.
During and after his career, he was an active writer, regularly contributing a column to the state bar association's newsletter, several of which were published in national journals. He authored four books, Laugh with the Judge (1974), Littlejohn's Half-Century at the Bench and Bar (1987), Littlejohn's Political Memoirs (1989), and Littlejohn's South Carolina Judicial History 1930-2004 (2005).
He served as delegate to several county and state Democratic Conventions and two National Democratic Conventions; member and Chairman of the Committee on Judicial Procedure and Congested Dockets 1957-1967; member of the County, State, and American Bar Associations.
He was a delegate to the National Conference of State Trial Judges 1964-1966; delegate to the National Appellate Judges Conference 1967-1976; permanent member of the Fourth U. S. Court of Appeals Judicial Conference; member, 1968 National School Awards, Jury of Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge; editorial committee of the Trial Judges Journal 1965-1967; member of the Board of Directors of North Greenville Jr. College 1962-1967; member of the Wofford College Alumni Board of Directors 1966-1968; and member of the Council of Wofford College Associates.
He was the recipient of many honors: Spartanburg Chamber of Commerce's Neville Holcombe Distinguished Public Service Award; S.C. Bar Foundation's DuRant Distinguished Public Service Award; Spartanburg Kiwanis Man of the Year Award; Spartanburg Rotary Club Paul Harris Award; Honorary member of Phi Beta Kappa; and Honorary doctorate degrees from Wofford College, Converse College, Limestone College, and the University of South Carolina. In 2004, he was presented the state's highest civilian award, the Order of the Palmetto. He was a member of Morningside Baptist Church.
Judge Littlejohn is survived by daughter, Inell Littlejohn Allen and husband Dan of Rockingham, NC; a son, Cameron B. Littlejohn, Jr., and wife Frances of Columbia, SC; four grandchildren, Amanda Allen of Madison Heights, VA, Rebecca A. Gilliam and husband Charles of Hamlet, NC; Justice Cameron Littlejohn of Columbia; and Amie Sowell and husband Jason of Mt. Pleasant, SC; and three great-grandchildren, Haven, McCartney, and Maddie Sowell. He was preceded in death by four brothers, Boyd B. Littlejohn, Arthur B. Littlejohn, Sr., J. R. Littlejohn, and Henry G. "Joe" Littlejohn; and three sisters, Myrtle Littlejohn; Mabel L. McConnell; and Mildred L. Gravely.
The family will receive friends Monday evening, April 23, 2007 from 5:30-8:30 PM at Morningside Baptist Church Sanctuary and Tuesday, April 24, 2007 from 12:45-1:45 PM at Morningside Baptist Church Sanctuary prior to the service.
Funeral services will held Tuesday, April 24, 2007 at 2:00 PM at Morningside Baptist Church by the Reverend Dr. Kirk H. Neely. Burial will follow in Pacolet First Baptist Church Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the C. Bruce Littlejohn Scholarship Fund, Wofford College, 429 North Church Street, Spartanburg, SC 29303 or to Morningside Baptist Church, Building Fund, 897 South Pine Street, Spartanburg, SC 29302.
Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.lanforddunbar.com
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